CVE-2018-1551 in WebSphere MQ
Summary
by MITRE
IBM WebSphere MQ 8.0.0.2 through 8.0.0.8 and 9.0.0.0 through 9.0.0.3 could allow users to have more authority than they should have if an MQ administrator creates an invalid user group name. IBM X-Force ID: 142888.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/01/2023
This vulnerability resides in IBM WebSphere MQ messaging middleware where improper authorization handling occurs when administrators create invalid user group names. The flaw exists in versions 8.0.0.2 through 8.0.0.8 and 9.0.0.0 through 9.0.0.3, representing a significant access control weakness that could be exploited to escalate privileges. The vulnerability stems from the system's failure to properly validate user group names during authorization processing, allowing malicious actors to manipulate group membership assignments and gain unauthorized access to restricted resources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a lack of input validation for user group identifiers within the MQ authorization framework. When an administrator creates a user group with an invalid name, the system does not properly sanitize or reject the malformed input, which then propagates through the authorization checking mechanisms. This creates a condition where the system may incorrectly interpret the invalid group name as a valid authorization entity, thereby granting elevated privileges to users who should not possess them. The flaw operates at the application level and affects the core authentication and authorization services provided by WebSphere MQ.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial as it enables privilege escalation attacks that could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive messaging queues, administrative functions, and confidential data flowing through the MQ infrastructure. An attacker with access to create or modify user group configurations could exploit this weakness to gain elevated permissions, potentially compromising the entire messaging system. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-264, which addresses permissions, privileges, and access control weaknesses, and represents a critical security gap in the authorization model that could be leveraged for lateral movement within networks relying on WebSphere MQ for communication.
Organizations using affected WebSphere MQ versions should immediately implement mitigations including applying the relevant IBM security patches, reviewing all user group configurations for validity, and implementing strict access controls for administrative functions. The fix typically involves strengthening input validation for group names and ensuring proper authorization checking mechanisms are enforced. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough audits of their MQ configurations to identify any existing invalid group names that could be exploited. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and authorization checking in enterprise messaging systems, as highlighted by ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1484 for abuse of privileges, making it a critical concern for security teams managing mission-critical messaging infrastructure.